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ORLANDO - Grant Hill sprained his surgically repaired left ankle in the Magic's preseason finale against Atlanta on Thursday night.
Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 26, 2001
ORLANDO -- Grant Hill sprained his surgically repaired left ankle in the Magic's preseason finale against Atlanta on Thursday night.
Hill, who missed all but four games last season, appeared to injure his ankle while battling for a loose ball midway through the third quarter. He landed solidly, but paused for a moment before jogging downcourt.
Hill was replaced moments later, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
The initial diagnosis said Hill had a slight sprain to the ankle and mid foot, although X-rays were negative. He is listed as day to day, but said he does not expect to miss playing time.
"I'll be fine," Hill said. "I'm an expert now on lower extremities, and according to my expertise, I'll be okay."
He talked coach Doc Rivers into letting him start the second half, but was pulled halfway into the quarter when Rivers saw him limping.
"When I saw him running the way he was running, I took him out," Rivers said.
Hill had been healthy the entire preseason, and was one of the few Magic starters to avoid injury. In eight preseason games, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Tracy McGrady scored 22 in his return from a back injury to lead Orlando to a 111-107 victory. McGrady had missed four games.
The Magic opens the season Tuesday, hosting Toronto at 7:30 p.m.
RAPTORS 113, WIZARDS 96: Vince Carter put on a better show than Michael Jordan as the two faced each other for the first time. Carter scored 18 of his 31 in the first quarter for host Toronto and played defense on Jordan as though the game meant something. Jordan scored 22.
NETS 100, KNICKS 84: Kenyon Martin scored 21 and Todd MacCulloch added 14 as New Jersey beat New York in Albany, N.Y. Knicks center Marcus Camby missed his sixth game in a row with an injured left foot.
SUNS 113, WARRIORS 90: Tony Delk, making his first start of the preseason because of Stephon Marbury's strained left hamstring, had 33 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds as Phoenix beat Golden State in Los Angeles.
JAZZ 103, SONICS 98: Former Magic forward John Amaechi scored nine of his 19 in the fourth quarter as Utah blew a 24-point first-half lead but held on to beat Seattle in Ogden, Utah.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Hornets traded forward Derrick Coleman to the 76ers in a three-team deal involving the Warriors.
The Hornets got forwards George Lynch, Robert Traylor and Jerome Moiso from Philadelphia and forward Chris Porter from Golden State.
The Warriors get forward Cedric Henderson and a conditional first-round draft pick in 2005 from Philadelphia, and cash from Charlotte. The 76ers also got guard Vonteego Cummings and forward Corie Blount from Golden State.
Coleman, in his fourth season with Charlotte, did not practice with the Hornets on Thursday.
The deal sent Coleman back to Philadelphia, where he spent three seasons before signing a five-year, $40-million deal with the Hornets in 1998. He has two years left on that deal and is owed $19.1-million.
The Hornets have been trying to unload him for some time. But they had no takers, based on his horrendous play last season and heavy contract.
He also had a falling out with coach Paul Silas that has not been resolved.
The 76ers, meanwhile, were desperate for scoring after a multitude of injuries. Allen Iverson, Eric Snow and Aaron McKie are out.
Philadelphia coach Larry Brown was optimistic.
"My last 35 to 40 games with Derrick were pretty good," he said. "He was probably our most popular player in the locker room. I expect a lot from him."
BUCKS: Milwaukee signed forward Anthony Mason to a four-year, $21-million contract.
The sides had been working on a deal since the Bucks cleared cap room Monday by trading forward Scott Williams to Denver.
"Anthony brings an added dimension of strength and toughness, both offensively and defensively, to our ballclub," general manager Ernie Grunfeld said.
KNICKS: New York waived forward Michael Wright, its second-round pick in this year's draft.
SONICS: Vin Baker strained his back in practice this week. The team expects him to play in the season opener Tuesday at Sacramento.
LOUISVILLE BID: University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino said he would only support the relocation of an NBA franchise to the city if voters approved it in a referendum.
Mayor Dave Armstrong said a referendum would only occur if the Legislature approved one for November 2002 -- a step that does not fit into the timetable for the city to lure the Charlotte franchise.